thigh-slapper vs joke

thigh-slapper and joke both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
thigh-slapper	Yes	No	No	No
joke	Yes	No	Yes	No

As nouns, joke is a hypernym of thigh-slapper; that is, joke is a word with a broader meaning than thigh-slapper:

Other hypernyms of thigh-slapper include gag, jape, jest, laugh.

thigh-slapper (noun)	joke (noun)
a joke that seems extremely funny	a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement
	activity characterized by good humor
	a triviality not to be taken seriously
	a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter

thigh-slapper (verb)	joke (verb)
	act in a funny or teasing way
	tell a joke; speak humorously